If that's you, listen up. You could be undermining your efforts and not even know it. Consumer reports Shopsmart explains why.
There are a lot of foods out there that look like they're good for you. But looks can be deceiving. That's what consumer reports found when it played diet detective to come up with a list of unhealthy health foods.
"You could be sabotaging your waistline and your health by eating foods that are loaded with fat, calories, or sugar," Sue Perry said.
Take veggie chips - they may be made of vegetables, but they're often fried in oil and loaded with fat. And while one cup of trail mix can have lots of vitamins, it can also have almost 700 calories.
"If you're looking for a healthier snack, try air-popped or low-fat popcorn. But instead of butter, sprinkle on a little grated parmesan cheese. It has less fat," Perry said.
And when it comes to breakfast, hold off on that cup of granola cereal. It can contain about 400 calories.
"For a better breakfast, try a bowl of oat-based cereal like Cheerios."
Sweetened applesauce is another not-so-great sweet treat with loads of added sugar. Far better, a whole apple. And you get the fiber, too.
And before you take a bite of that wrap, take a step back because wraps can be huge, high in calories and, sometimes, fat.
"A better choice for lunch - a sandwich on whole-grain or whole-wheat bread. But check the ingredients list. Whole-grains should be first on the list."
In fact, checking the labels on everything you eat is the way a true diet detective finds food that is truly healthly.
Consumer reports says when it comes to desserts, watch out for frozen yogurt. It can contain a lot of sugar. Instead, look for light ice cream that has fewer calories and less fat.
